Lucknow: Showing no signs of relenting in his tirade against ruling Samajwad Party in Uttar Pradesh, Union minister Beni Prasad Verma on Saturday alleged the party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav has "cheated minorities" and had a tacit understanding with the BJP.

The Gonda MP alleged that there was an understanding between Mulayam and BJP leader LK Advani in 1998 due to which the SP supremo was able to form government in UP in 2003 in spite of having only 135 MLAs.

"In 1998, when Atal Behari Vajpayee's government fell by one vote, he (Mulayam) had promised to support Sonia Gandhi.

"Later in the night, he had a talk with Advani at Jaya Jaitely's residence ... There Mulayam asked Advani that he will not make effort to form the government, and in return the BJP leader asked him not to support Sonia and it was decided."

Beni claimed that Advani in his book has written that he would thank Mulayam that he followed his advice and later got five years term.

"As a reward, he (Mulayam) became the chief minister again in 2003. He had only 135 MLAs, Vajpayee was the Prime Minister and Vishnu Kant Shastri was the governor ... Can a person having 135 MLAs could form a government in UP without the support of the ruling party," he alleged.

He alleged that anti-defection law existed even at that time, but MLAs were brought and the then Vidhan Sabha speaker Kesari Nath Tripathi validated all.

"It was always Mulayam's objective that Congress should not revive in UP," he alleged.

Beni alleged that it was his political analysis that Mulayam had always cheated minorities.

Akhilesh attacks Congress

Meanwhile, Mulayam's son and UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Congress, alleging anybody who does not act according to its wishes faces "persecution" through CBI.

Akhilesh claimed that the UPA will suffer heavily in the next Lok Sabha elections due to "widespread dissatisfaction" among the people of the country.

Talking to reporters here on the sidelines of a function, Akhilseh however made it clear that the Samajwadi Party will "continue to support the UPA government to keep communal forces at bay" even as he asserted "we are fully prepared for the elections, whenever they take place".

Asked about the party supremo's statement that elections could take place as early as November this year, the UP CM said "political developments and media reports hint at such a possibility".

On Friday, Mulayam had told reporters, "Congress used to take support by threatening. I supported the UPA government in bad times but Congress has put CBI after me."

To the BJP's charge that the SP, by supporting the UPA, was acting under pressure fearing CBI action against some of its top leaders, Akhilesh evaded a direct reply but said, "It is a fact that anybody who does not act according to the wishes of the Congress party, faces persecution through CBI."

The UP CM also claimed that his party will "come out with its best-ever performance" in the Lok Sabha polls as "people will weigh our pro-people initiatives against the previous corrupt BSP regime in the state. Besides, widespread dissatisfaction with the Centre will cost the Congress heavily across the country and in UP we will be the biggest gainers".